15 best things to see in Turkey

Turkey, where the East and West meet. A country of contrasts and one of the world's traveling jewels.

Turkey is a country that reflects the personality of two opposite worlds: east and west . Its capital Istanbul is one of the most vibrant and fascinating cities in the world, but the rest of the country is quite unknown to the ordinary traveler.

Mountains, plains, a rich culture, intense and varied gastronomy, and people who are among the most hospitable in the world.

In this huge country it is difficult to make a list that covers all its attractions, but here is our suggestion of the 15 best places to see in Turkey.

1.) Istanbul

Straddling Europe and Asia, ancient Constantinople still has the aura of a different and imperial city. It is, for many, the most fascinating city in Europe.

Its streets are full of contrasts that separate two antagonistic worlds: east and west. Between its large and powerful mosques - such as the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed) and the Hagia Sophia (former basilica and later mosque) - western bars and restaurants alternate, such as those in the Beyoglu area, next to the emblematic Taksim Square and the Galata Tower . And the Grand Bazaar, a separate city made of shops of all kinds.

When you cruise the Bosphorus at sunset , Topkapi Palace stands out on the horizon, alongside the profile of mosques and the small figures of Turkish fishermen. With the sky on fire in orange, it is one of the best experiences to see in Turkey .

Cross on the ferry to the Asian side and you will see a totally different Istanbul, both in architecture and lifestyle. It will seem to you that you are in another country.

One of the best cities in the world to walk aimlessly and observe the daily lives of its people.

2.) The Lycian Way

This trail was marked by an English history lover at the end of the last millennium. About 15 years later, The Times magazine already ranked it among the 10 best hiking routes in the world and ran an ultramarathon for its just over 500 km of route.

The Lycian Route is a medium difficulty trail that runs between the Mugla and Antalya provinces.

Mountains of almost 3,000 meters (among them, the mythical Mount Olympus), forests, cliffs that die in a Mediterranean Sea that, due to its color, here is almost confused with the Caribbean. Framed by this landscape, fishing and farming towns, abandoned villages and ruins of different civilizations (Lycian, Roman and Greek).

A route that takes you through some of the most beautiful landscapes to visit in Turkey.

3.) Oludéniz (Blue Lagoon)

Included within the Lycian Route - and considered one of its two official starting points - is the town of Oludéniz.

Although many of the trips to Turkey marketed in Anglo-Saxon countries include it as a summer tourist destination and you can find too much trouble in the strong months, the rest of the year it is a quiet town worth visiting.

Its natural environment is to be enjoyed by boat, swimming or walking . Beautiful coves, Mediterranean forests, islands and the famous Blue Lagoon, a natural lagoon with beautiful colors. You can also see it from the air since many adventure agencies in the area organize paragliding flights from peaks of almost 3,000 meters above sea level.

If you like noise, all you have to do is come here in the summer and enjoy the many English pubs and restaurants that party until dawn.

4.) Göreme, Cappadocia

This city is located in the Cappadocia region, nestled between strange rock formations. Hundreds of them emerge from the ground, shaped like curious chimneys that are sandwiched between the houses.

Some of the rocks have been transformed into churches. Göreme also has an open-air museum. It is a complex of churches and monasteries that is admired in its maximum splendor from the air, while you fly over it in a hot air balloon. It is one of the most spectacular landscapes to see in Turkey.

5.) Pamukkale

One of the most curious places to see in Turkey is the famous Roman spa in Pamukkale, in the Denizli province. Its literal meaning is "cotton castle".

This place was formed as a consequence of a series of earthquakes and the emergence of mineral-rich groundwater. Calcium and hydrogen carbonate reacted to form calcium carbonate and limestone, to which Pamukkale owes its white color and ponds.

Put on a swimsuit, walk the 30-minute steep trail, and take a restorative swim in any of the Pamukkale shallow pools.

6.) Troy

We are sorry to disappoint you, but in Troy you will not find either Eric Bana or Brad Pitt , although you will be able to see a replica of the legendary Trojan Horse.

The city is located in the northwest of Turkey and became famous thanks to its appearance in Homer's The Iliad. Today it is a very important archaeological site, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco .

Troy was destroyed and rebuilt 9 times and you will see a sample of each of its nine different layers. Of course, it is one of those places that due to its great historical wealth, you had better take a guide to understand it better.

7.) Amasya

Not everything is beaches and sea among the best places to visit in Turkey . In the north of the country you will find a small town rising in the narrow valley that runs between the Yeşilırmak river and the mountains.

On one shore are dozens of typical Ottoman constructions, dark wood and ivory finishes, on which sharp cliffs rise . In them are some ancient tombs and a castle.

On the other shore, a more modern Turkey, with a beautiful river walk guarded by bronze statues and some restaurants.

8.) Uzungöl

Just an hour's drive from the big city of Trabzon, there is a small town that looks like something out of the Swiss Alps.

Uzüngol is located on the shore of the homonymous lake, right at the bottom of a green and lush valley. It is one of the best places to visit in Turkey to find out what the countryside inland is like . Among the typical Turkish houses, the pointy minarets of a mosque stand out.

The best time to stroll along the lakeshore is first thing in the morning, when a low mist covers everything and it seems like a town taken from a magical adventure story.

9.) Izmir

The trip to Turkey dedicated to exploring the coast of the Aegean, usually have their base in the beautiful city of Izmir.

The city sits on the coast, guarded by a chain of high green hills. Izmir is of great historical importance. In Konak Square you can see the clock tower that marks the place where the uprising that led to the Turkish war of independence in 1901 occurred.

From the square, there is a short stretch to the seafront, known as Kordon. Have a coffee contemplating the waters of the Aegean before heading to Kadifekale, the hill of almost 200 meters above sea level where the ruins of the ancient fortification that protected the city are located. The first walls were built here by a successor of Alexander the Great, around 300 BC. C.

And since you are in Smyrna, get closer to the ruins of Ephesus . A Greek theater, frescoed houses and an ancient library containing 12,000 papyri await you there.

10.) Sanliurfa

Better known as Urfa, this town is one of the places to visit in Turkey if you want to know the eastern culture of the country.

In its old part, a good number of historical buildings, both Muslim and Christian, stand next to yellow stone houses. Kurdish, Turkish and Arab peasants from the surrounding areas come to the traditional bazaar to do their shopping, while young people from the city go to their offices in the new part.

A good place to appreciate the Turkish contrasts.

11.) Ankara

The capital of Turkey hosts more than 5 million souls already living at the intense and frenetic western rhythm. However, you will still find the remains of ancient Ankara - a city with more than 3,000 years of history - in the Citadel .

The Ankara Citadel is a work by Galatians, Romans, Byzantines and Seljuk. Among its historical monuments you can see the old traditional Turkish houses. The Roman Theater of Ankara and the Temple of Augustus and Rome are two of the Roman footprints that you cannot miss.

As for the museums, the best are the State Museum of Art and Culture, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Museum of the War of Independence .

The mausoleum of Kemal Atatürk , the most important figure of the twentieth century Turkey is also must.

12.) Safranbolu

Located in the Turkish Black Sea region, Safranbolu demands a detour on the route from the most typical places to see in Turkey , but you will not regret it. Its name derives from saffron, a spice obtained from the flowers that grow in the area.

In addition to saffron, Safranbolu is a place for history lovers. 17th century mosques, ancient Turkish baths, ancient tombs ... Discover all this wandering through the labyrinthine streets of the Old City, while still stopping at the vibrant bazaars and having a tea while watching life go by.

13.) Bozcaada Island

Many people look for trips to Turkey hoping to find a quiet and different corner, that makes them think that they are not in Europe. Bozcaada Island is one of those places.

This little gem of the Aegean has managed to escape modernization, keeping most of its original architecture to offer the traveler a glimpse of the past.

Its white-fronted houses are surrounded by vineyards. Taste its wines with the fantastic Mediterranean diet of its restaurants and discover the ruins of its 15th century castle, the caves of its rugged coastline and the green fields. The best way to explore the island of Bozcaada is by bicycle. Rent one and pedal!

14.) Konya

The dervishes dance is one of the most curious things to see in Turkey. The first dervishes - members of a Tariqa, a Muslim religious brotherhood of an ascetic or mystical character - Turks, appeared about 800 years ago in the city of Konya.

Konya is located on the ancient Silk Road and offers many tourist attractions. In the Mevlana Museum you will find the grave of the poet Jelaleddin Rumi, founder of the Dervishes order. Rumi is considered to be one of the greatest spiritual thinkers and teachers of his time. The Alaadin Keykubat Mosque (12th century) and the Ince Minare Mosque are two other monuments in Kolya that you cannot miss.

15.) Mardin

In the southeast of the Anatolian region is one of the most beautiful cities to visit in Turkey .

Mardin in its entirety was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. It is a city perched on a hill . At the top of it is the citadel, an old fortress transformed into a military zone, which despite not being accessible to the general public, gives the city an air of grandeur.

Climb up the alleys of Mardin's old town to take in views of the vast plains of Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization.

Among the churches and mosques of the city, the Great Mosque (12th century) and the Deyruz-Zafaran monastery, one of the oldest in the world, stand out.

So, see you in Turkey?